Talk about #CoupleGoals! Rising folk artist Tariq Abou-Bakr just dropped his heartfelt new single, “Hold Your Ghost,” on Valentine’s Day, and it’s all about love, devotion, and resilience. But what makes this release even more special? It was inspired by his girlfriend, Jeanee Crane-Mauzy — an accomplished World Cup and Olympic Qualifying skier—who just so happened to be competing in the Freeski Halfpipe World Cup the very same day.
With “Hold Your Ghost,” Tariq continues to showcase his powerful voice and deeply personal songwriting, delivering a track that is both intimate and universally relatable. The song, entirely written and produced by Tariq, blends soft guitar strums with a soulful piano backdrop, creating a beautifully raw soundscape that captures the depths of his emotions.
For Tariq, this song is more than just a love letter — it’s a tribute to Jeanee’s resilience, especially after the hardships she faced supporting her sister, Jamie MoCrazy, through a highly publicized traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained during a skiing competition. Their advocacy for TBI awareness has even led them to work with the White House, and their journey was featured in a powerful Amazon Prime Video documentary highlighting the importance of policy changes surrounding TBIs.
“’Hold Your Ghost’ is a pure love song,” Tariq told Celeb Secrets in an exclusive interview. “It talks about loving deeply and passionately. However, more specifically, it is about holding a place in your life for the ones you love, even after they are gone from it. It is dedicated to my partner Jeanee Crane-Mauzy, and it reflects not only our romance but her own tragic life experiences. She has been through a lot of adversity in prior years, and with this song, I wanted to show her how I feel about the importance of a truly deep, long-lasting love.”
Jeanee, who has been a huge source of inspiration for Tariq, also shared what the song means to her, saying, “My relationship with Tariq is wonderful. He loves me the way I always dreamed of being loved. This song, and the title ‘Hold Your Ghost,’ is his complete understanding of me and seeing what I have been through. It’s a tribute and a promise that our love is so big and so pure it would carry on beyond death. Our love is the kind only a few are lucky enough to have, and I cherish every second of it.”
Tariq credits Jeanee for transforming his music. “Jeanee has been an incredible muse for me,” he explained. “Oftentimes before Jeanee, I would really find myself going through the motions and either writing songs about other people or making up stories. With Jeanee, it’s been able to all come from the heart and most importantly from my own experiences. It has transformed my music.”
While Jeanee doesn’t have direct input in the songwriting process, she fully supports Tariq’s creative vision. “Songwriting is really Tariq’s passion and his expression of art,” she shared. “I do sometimes say something like ‘I love when he hits the high notes!’ And get pleasantly surprised when high notes show up in his songs!”
With Tariq making a name for himself in the folk music scene and Jeanee dominating the ski world, their schedules are anything but predictable. Yet, they make it work through unwavering support and a deep understanding of each other’s passions.
“It isn’t always easy, but it takes a clear understanding of what makes one another happy,” Tariq shared. “We are both willing to sacrifice time and support one another whenever necessary. While it may often mean less time together, it leads to a more fulfilling life and relationship. Supporting each other’s dreams is very important to us.”
Jeanee added, “The fact that we are not always together and have no routine is part of what makes our relationship so great. It’s simply impossible to fall into a rut. We’ve already been to so many beautiful places around the world. We’ve faced challenges, tragedies, and triumphs together. Because we spend time apart, we cherish our time together.”
Tariq has been enjoying performing live and sharing his music with audiences. “It’s been amazing, and it really has been received well,” he said. “Even before I released the music, I would play it live, and many people would nag me to release it to the world. It is more personal to me than playing covers and singing other people’s songs — much more fulfilling to finally be sharing my own art.”
Following “Hold Your Ghost,” fans can expect even more heartfelt music from Tariq. The track marks the third single of his upcoming eight-track EP, following “Cold” and “Run Baby Run.”
“My listeners can expect more music soon. After this, we have five more songs scheduled to be recorded and released over the next year,” Tariq revealed. “I hope to provide a great deal of variety and fun. I invite anyone who likes my music to join me on this journey!”
As Tariq continues to carve his path in the folk/acoustic scene, there’s no doubt that his storytelling and raw emotional delivery will resonate with listeners. And if “Hold Your Ghost” is any indication of what’s to come, we’re definitely here for it.
Listen to “Hold Your Ghost” below and let us know what you think of the track by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets. You can connect with Tariq on Instagram at @tariffiq and Jeanee on Instagram at @jeaneecranemauzy.
